Your problems

My wife and I were holidaying in Ecuador when she broke her leg and needed immediate surgery. I phoned our insurer, Insure and Go, within the 24 hours stipulated but each time the number was engaged or gave a pre-recorded message. I eventually sent a fax from the hotel but never received confirmation.

Back home, I claimed on 6 October and sent a copy of the invoice for cancelling the trip as requested, but have heard nothing more.GC, East Horsley

Insure and Go reckons that all calls were answered on the day you phoned. There must be a fault in its tracking system. But it accepts that you made a great effort to call, and so failing to talk to the emergency line will not prejudice your claim.

It had no record that you faxed the documents requested. Now that confusion has been cleared up, it has sent you a cheque for £2,292 in full settlement of your claim.

Ten-year battle ends in closure

I have £69 in a LloydsTSB current account, which I have been trying to close for 10 years. I recently redoubled my efforts and carried out all the instructions the bank gave me. Despite assurances, it still did not happen.DM, London

LloydsTSB says it carried out your instructions up to the point of someone pushing the button to close your account. Mysteriously, nothing further happened but staff assumed that it had. The bank is sending you a cheque for £69 and some wine.

Transfer turns up in Jersey

I have been moving money in £2,000 lots from my Barclays account to ING Direct online. All was well until I paid in two lots on 31 August and one went missing. Two months later, Barclays found that it had gone to a different sort code. This could well have been my fault but ING said it could do nothing as this was not its sort code.CW, Tynemouth

A bit more digging by Barclays revealed that the sort code you wrongly gave belongs to ABN Amro in Jersey, where you have no account. ABN Amro initially denied having your money but, with more persuasion from Barclays, managed to uncover it and return it.

Indesit acts after indecent delay

The door came off my washing machine nine weeks ago. I ordered a new one from the Indesit service centre but the engineer did not turn up to fit it; he had rung in sick. When he did arrive, the wrong parts had been delivered. I had to wait two weeks for another engineer, who found the previous guy had forgotten to order a hinge. The first one came to fit the hinge but found there was no hinge plate. With a 15-month baby, I am spending £30 a week on service washes.CM, London

A call from Money Writes sent Indesit into a spin. It repaired your washing machine the next day.

Your £700 fire is the buyer's gain

I was buying a newly-built house from Langley Homes. At the last moment, our chain collapsed when first-time buyers split up. We lost the house but had already paid £700 for a gas fire, which had been fitted. Langley refuses to refund the money or return the fire. I visited the new owners, who had been told the fire was part of their purchase.PS, Retford

Langley Homes refuses to consider any compensation payment. It says the terms are clear. Write this off to experience.

Perhaps it's time to call the police

I appointed Alumdown Properties as financial adviser to deal with the tax in England from a property I rent out. When the estimate for 2002/03 arrived, one of the partners suggested that I send a cheque for £422 made out to Alumdown to pay the tax office. The cheque was cashed.

A year later, I realised I had not received an estimate for 2003/04, and could get no response from the partner, so rang the tax office. It told me my tax returns had not been filed, although I had sent the papers to Alumdown the previous August.

I paid the tax office what I reckoned I owed and a bit more. Last March, my tax statement showed that this money had been used to pay a debt from the previous year and I still owed £464. I paid immediately.

Now no one from Alumdown will answer my emails, phone calls or letters. I reckon it owes me £800.AB, Viry, France

Alumdown's phone numbers are no longer live and its addresses are old residential or mail box numbers.

Anyone can set up offering tax services and the firm has committed no trading standards offence. If you believe that the company has disappeared with your money, tell the police.

· Email Margaret Dibben at money.writes@observer.co.uk or write to Margaret Dibben, Money Writes, The Observer, 3-7 Herbal Hill, London EC1R 5EJ and include a telephone number. Do not enclose SAEs or original documents. Letters are selected for publication and we cannot give personal replies. The newspaper accepts no legal responsibility for advice.